Vein right side neck

[LouiseMon12]

Hello
I'm not asking anyone to diagnose, just maybe to calm my racing mind or share a similar experience, as I have made a gp appointment to discuss on Monday and I don't want to spend the weekend feeling stressed.

I do have HA and recently I've noticed that if I look up just a little bit or strain midly, I can see the jugular vein on the right side of my neck. Quick Google says I shouldn't be able to see it and it could be right side heart failure. I've been looking at people more closely lately and I can't seem to notice theirs.

Does anyone notice their right sided jugular vein stuck out a bit.

For info, normal bp, heart rate average 75-80 (which seems high to me, but GP doesn't seem worried), 41 years old, slim, some perimenopause symptoms.

Really hope someone out there can tell me this is nothing to worry about before I see thr GP on Monday!

Remember that everyone is different- maybe your jugular sticks out a bit like other people's veins on their hands stick out a bit.
If you had right sided heart failure you would know about it, if it had reached the stage where your jugular was enlarged. You'd have swollen ankles, feet, fingers. You'd be breathless with a cough. You'd be woken feeling you couldn't breathe.
If you are really worried, your doctor can order a blood test which shows any likelihood of heart failure.

75-80 bpm is a perfectly normal pulse.

@LorettyTen thank you, that's helped to calm me, I just struggle to understand why I see mine when I can't see it on others..

I hope your GP will put your mind at rest. HA is awful.

Thanks Lorettyten.

Has anyone noticed anything similar themselves?

I noticed ages ago that I can sometimes seen this vein. Generally when drying my hair as there is a window to the right of my bedroom mirror which causes the light to fall on that area, casting a shadow. It's also more noticeable when I raise my right arm (such as when drying hair) as it causes it to pop out. After reading your post, I can also see it if I look up/extend my neck slightly as you describe.I also have health anxiety and had a mini freak out when I first noticed it as I thought it was a lump (one of my big fears!) so was actually relieved when I realised it was just a vein - had no idea until I read your post and then googled that this was a thing! Thanks for that 🤣 However, from googling I think a worrying enlarged vein would be very obvious from any angle (you wouldn't have to tilt your head to see it) and, as a pp said, you'd be having other symptoms and be pretty ill by now as it's certainly not listed as a primary symptom of heart failure! FYI I work out regularly without getting breathless and am very fit and active so presumably wouldn't be able to do so if I had impending heart failure!

Huge sympathies from me as I know how debilitating health anxiety is. I'm sure your GP will reassure you, do let us know what they say.

Any update to this? I can't stop looking at mine now 🙈

@Worridoncemore I'm sorry for worrying you. I went to the GP yesterday but annoyingly my regular GP was replaced with a very young locum who didn't seem that bothered and I noticed the look she gave me when I told her the issue! She did some general checks, bp, listened to chest, heart rate, as questions, then said she had no concerns and that the vein was not that visible. I have to say, she didn't reassure me much as she seemed quite dismissive.

@Worridoncemore I laughed when I read your post because just like you, to the right of my mirror is a big window which is when I notice the vein the most, also when looking up and drying my hair! I also also relatively fit, I exercise 3/4 times a week on my Pelton and I don't feel breathless, faint or have any chest pains.

I just wish I couldn't see my vein. I am slim and can see all my neck tendons etc, although not sure thsg has anything to do with it.

Sorry this isn't helpful, I just want to stop worrying about it....

Thank you for updating. I think the fact that we can both exercise without getting breathless, have no symptoms and you have been checked over means there's nothing to worry about. I'm sure it would be very obvious there was a problem long before any vein appeared and you wouldn't have to turn your head to see it - the photos I've seen on line are very bulbous looking!

I know what you mean though about wishing you couldn't see it though - health anxiety sucks!

@Worridoncemore I know you're right but HA does take over. Although I have noticed that when I lay down completely flat, all veins on both sides completely pop out, do you have this? Now I'm panicking! Although I did read online that to assess that vein, you need to be lying at a 45 degree angle, not fully flat. When I do that, I can't see my right side jugular, so surely that's good?

I've no idea! Will perhaps check when I'm able. Or maybe not, it will only fuel my HA, as does reading forums such as this! As I said, if I hadn't stumbled across your post I would never known this was a thing! Have you sought any help for your HA?

Hi I notice this is an older post but I’ve also noticed a prominent vein on the right side of my neck also have HA got a GP appointment Monday. Just wondering if anyone ever found out what had caused it as Dr Google is very scary thank you.

@DreamyRedFinch sorry for the late reply. I still have this but never got to the bottom of it. Can I ask what your GP said?

I realise this post is old but has anyone had any updates from their GPs on this?

I also notice that the veins on the right side of my neck are visible, when my understanding is that they shouldn't be and can indicate heart issues.

@DreamyRedFinch can I ask what your doctor said?

I've also made a GP appointment for this but it's not for another 2 weeks and I this is worrying me.

Anyone? Bump

Mine sticks out like a sore thumb, I never bother about it. I just put it down to being as thin as a rake.

Your heart rate is normal isn’t it? I though the normal range is something like 60 to 100. Mine resting is around 80.

@HelpMeGetThrough Thank you for replying. I am slim and I have a slim neck too, so it could be that. My HR is around 70-80 depending on the time of day. I should really try not to let it bother me it's difficult with HA...